Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-16
SATURDAY. $500. APRIL l6, 1887.
stand Together.

Stand Together.
II is important that the people Of
Virginia as . body should maintain her
side Of the controversy in which they
find her involved with the bondhold-
es. They ought to recollect that both
political parties in this State have
pledged themselves 10 stand by the
RrpDLEBKRaxR bill, and that these two
parties include we might say all of the
citizens of this Commonwealth. They
ought to recollect that in proportion as
il shall appear to the committee of the
Council OF Foreign Bondholders that
the people Of Virginia are divided upon
the question Of the amount Of princi-
pal TO be paid, or the rate of interest
to be allowed, will be the difficulty OF
securing from that committee terms of
settlement which the voters will ratify
at the ballot-box.
ANDREW JOHNSON once declared en-
phatically that he didn't like any man
who pretended to be "more for him
than he was for himself Abiding to
the northern men who were urging the
South to go to war in behalf of the
rights of the States. We would fain
hope that the bondholders' committee
will not have occasion to make similar
declaration as to any of the people of
Virginia. We trust that there are no
virginians who will be "more for the
bondholders than they are for them
selves" The bondholders need no ad-
vocates amongst our people, having
skilful lawyers in their employ, and
being represented by committee fully
able to make the worse appear the bet
ter cause"
The Wing of yesterday has an ex-
cellent article enforcing the view which |
we have hereinbefore presented. We
quote paragraph or two-as follows
"Wby should virginians take the
trouble to inform him Sir Edward
Thornton1 that the State is able to pay
q great deal more than she has offered,
and that she has been making false ex-
hibits of her assets ? And why should
Others be so free in their suggestions
that the State cannot be trusted to
carry out any contract she may
make, unless she gives bond and Sc
curity by mortgaging her revenues
III these things are true there need be
no fear that the bondholders will
not find them out and guard against
them as best they can, without
the necessity for Yirginians to vol
unteer tho information. Nor is there
any special necessity for reminding
them that they have the State by the
throat, and ought never to release their
hold until she agrees to pay the last
farthing and secures il beyond dispute
or cavilling. Without going into the
question of taste or propriety, it is suf-
ficient to say that the State is certainly
placed at disadvantage by this want of
unity and harmony among the people,
however few the dissentients may be,
for the bondholders will be almost sure
to magnify their number and attach
undue Importance to their declarations,
which will only throw obstacles in the
way of settlement instead of pro-
noting il. Every one at all familiar
with public sentiment in the State
knows very well that the persons
who hold such views as we have re-
ferred to reflect an enthusiastically small
part of it, and such terms as they would
be willing TO see imposed upon the
State would never, never be accepted
by the people. If the whole people of
the State could present united front
we believe a satisfactory understanding
would be speedily reached, and if it is
not reached the responsibility for the
failure, in our opinion, will rest upon
those few people who are 10 much afraid
that the State will cheat the bondhold-
ers out of few dollars that they have
encouraged the latter to believe that
they can secure more favorable terms
than the people will ever consent to.
The .over-zealous friends of the bond
holders are the people who are doing
the mischief.
These considerations ought to inau-
ence all who are sincerely DESTROYS of
settling the debt question at least to /.
hold their peace when that question is
presented to the bondholders as it pre-
sents itself to the minds of an immense
majority Of the voters of this Common
wealth. 1t is worse than useless for
The negotiators to agree upon
terms which those voters viii not
rstify. Therefore il viii tend TO dis
,ord and confusion and to an utter ]
Iailure 10 effect new settlement Of the ,
leot for the few men who hold that the
State Is able to pay thirty millions Of
principal, and any rate Of interest that
may be fixed upon, to contend for that
proposition in the hearing of the bond
holders committee. They would thus
10 much to cause the negotiations "to
md in smoke"